


Sisters

by Spacebrick



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Comfort, Gen, Orphans, Sibling Love, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-22 13:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8287253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacebrick/pseuds/Spacebrick
Summary: Whether you have parents or not, there's happiness to be found everywhere. (Tags will be added as story progresses.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is for the most part going to be headcanon. But I'm very excited to get all of my ideas out there! I promise there will be more developments later, but as a multi-scene story, I thought I could go chapter by chapter.

  “...Marie.” Callie stood over her sleeping sister, gently shaking her back and forth. “Marie!”

“...Huh?” Slowly rising up, the meek-looking child rubbed her eyes. “Is something… wrong?” A hint of nervousness rang in her voice, but her worries were soon put at ease as Callie’s smile came into view in the darkness of the evening orphanage.

“No, I just wanted to talk. That’s all!”

“Oh, I’m glad!... Talk about what?”

“What do you think mom and dad were like?” This was not the first time the same question had been asked by either; however, it remained one of their favorite topics to discuss.

  “I think…” Marie looked away, always pondering the question, “they had to be good singers.”

“That makes sense!”

“Shhhh…”

“That makes sense. Maybe when mommy had us, they were always singing, and we heard them, so that’s why we're good at it.”

“Or maybe, they just passed it on to us. I wonder if they're singing right now…”

“Whaddya think they're singing about?” The two of them deeply thought for a bit; there were so many possibilities for parents they had never known. Callie thought of what could have been their parents’ voices, singing of parties, festivals and the deepest love they held, not only for each other but the family they had never raised; Marie, meanwhile, took to the ideas of expressing the beauty of flowers, and the quaintness of nostalgia, thinking back to wonderful days long gone as if they were ones she had known, as if she missed something that she never had. Marie spoke out first as to the conclusion that they had both reached:

  “What if they’re… singing about us?”

“...I hope so. I think they miss us!” At those words, Marie sighed, breaking away from the previously solid eye contact. “...What’s wrong, Marie?” To the worry of Callie, Marie did not respond to her question, and instead sat alone for seconds, a minute, what felt like an hour in that dark. Marie sat alone in her thoughts, and, unaccompanied in her worries, let a tear stream down her cheek.

“You ever wonder… why they left? I mean… if they loved us, why didn't they want us?” Marie quivered, with what was soon to be another tear welling up.

“Well, they needed to! There are a lot of reasons you can't support someone… but that doesn't mean you don't love them!” She sank down to the level of Marie’s mattress, embracing her and wiping her tears. “Besides. I’m sure if they knew what a good sister you are, they would be so proud.” 

“...You really think so?”

“I know so!” Callie smiled, and after a moment, so did her sister. Then, Marie chuckled. In turn, Callie giggled, pulled her cousin up and the two of them laughed, and laughed, and as the sun rose on the dark orphanage, all were woken up by the thunderous joy of the two happiest kids in their world. 


	2. Chapter 2

  In all of his many years, Cuttlefish didn't think he had ever met such a lovely pair of little girls.

Running a store was not always an easy task, contrary to what some of his customers seemed to believe; there was stock to be managed, orders to be placed, displays to be set - and though he enjoyed the hanging of pleasant decoration, it was still a strain on his now frail body. The days of glory had passed, and now he found his once proud stature reduced to a hobble behind the counter. As much as he loved his store, the once-captain needed something new - something to make him  _ happy _ .

His daydreams were interrupted by the tinker of the bell by the door, alerting Cuttlefish’s eyes to the entrance. But his vision was not immediately met with the face of a patron; he first needed to turn his eyes down to the two children making their way in. The two of them noticeably had the most peculiar eyes, each a wonderful gold emblazoned with a bold brown star, as if a celebration of the celestial beauty that every Inkling admired.

“Excuse me sir,” called a voice from below, as sweet as sugar and pleasant as summer watermelon, “where's the candy in this place?”

  “Well, the regular store candy’s at the register,” he answered, “but the good stuff is under the counter!” The one with the black hair finally noticed the glass display underneath him, and her eyes sparkled with glee, mouth watering at the numerous confectionaries that Cuttlefish had laid out with an audible gasp - the shop hadn’t been called  _ Cuttlefish Grocery & Sweets _ for no reason. in stark contrast, the gray haired girl did little more than smile, eyes merely nibbling on the selection of sweets before her. Excitedly, the black haired one began to chatter, pointing at the various items:

  “I waaaant two of the chocolate hearts and five sugar straws and a pound bag of chocolate almonds and oh yeah! Cherries! I love cherries! A couple chocolate cherries please and-” She was interrupted by a tug on her arm by the grey haired one.

“Callie…” she spoke, in a voice barely audible to Cuttlefish, “we only brought 50 cash, remember?”

“...Oh yeah.” Disappointed, the black haired girl named Callie carefully began to peruse the shelves, looking to get the tastiest bang for her buck on the pittance they had brought. Though Cuttlefish couldn’t afford to run a charity, he at least brought up a conversation in order to lighten Callie’s heavy heart.

“So, who are you two girls? I think I heard that you’re Callie, and…?”

  “My name is Marie.” Marie gave a shy smile.

“She doesn’t talk much, but she’s always nice when she does!” Callie chimed in, her sister beginning to blush. As she wandered around, Marie followed behind her, arm adorably clutched to Callie’s, lest anything separate them.

“Ohoh, you two do seem to be a pair of the most delightful little girls. But say, should you really be wandering out and about by yourselves like this?”

“They let us wander around the town a bit as long as we're back by three! It’s really fun to see all the cool stores and stuff.”

“Oh? And I assume that ‘they’ are your parents?” The small clatter of geta sandals ceased as Callie froze in place.

  “...Something like that.” She gave a half-hearted, nervous smile, faded from her previous grin; Marie was not so well off in the department of facade, and merely looked away, hurt. So they were orphans, then. 

“Ah, truly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“It’s okay, mister.” Regardless, Cuttlefish felt obligated to bring cheer to these little girls who he now knew were not always okay. In a poor town like this, family was all one could have in times of need; so to not have such a family was of great pity.

“I'd like to make it up to you. Why don't the two of you kiddos pick something from the shelves? It's on me.” Unsurprisingly, Callie’s starred eyes lit up - where had he seen them before? With a revitalized cheer in her voice, she began to speak:

  “Oh! I think that I’ll have…” Her voice trailed off as it was interrupted by a tug on her arm. Looking behind her, Callie watched as Marie communicated to her with naught but an advisory shake of her head. “I mean… I, we can't accept that, sir.”

“And why is that?”

“You… put a lot of effort into making these. It wouldn’t be fair if you didn’t get something back for them,” Marie spoke shyly at last, as if she could only utter the words Callie did not know.

“I insist! Trust me, I've more than enough to go around.”

“Well, we’ll make sure to come back another time! We’ll buy more stuff then,” Callie chimed in, reaching up to get the hands of her short arms to touch the countertop. But Cuttlefish knew how to drive a hard bargain.

  “I tell you what, I won't be able to put myself at ease if I don't give you girls something extra to go back with. So at least do it for the kind old shopkeep, y’hear?”

“Weeeell…” Callie turned to Marie, who seemed to approve with a nod. “If you insist! Um, I’ll haaaave a bag of kompeitou please!” The old man scooped up a bag and handed it to Callie, her starry eyes a wonderful complement to the similar confectionary; they brightly shined on the black night sky of her tentacles.

“And, um… I’d like a piece of melon bread, please, sir.” The hint of glimmer in the girl’s eyes as she took the sweet bun in her hands was beyond innocent.

“Hoho, no need to call me sir! That was what they called me back in my war days.” 

“Wow, you were in a war once? I wish I could help as many people as you!” Callie hopped up and down, seemingly inspired by the want to protect. Their advanced forms already attained and their priorities already set, the two seemed to have many more years on them than the eight or nine they did.

  “And I'm sure you will, once you've grown. I can see you two doing great things. You're certainly the most well-mannered pair of girls I've seen in a long time!”

“Hehe, Marie says I can have bad manners sometimes. I like to think that she’s my manners!” 

“Ah…” Marie spoke up as if to humble the compliment - but Callie had already snugged her in a close embrace and cooed, her eyes closed, and Marie too closed hers as she relaxed in the arms of her sister. The sight, Cuttlefish was sure, was enough to melt even the iciest of hearts.

But the girls were not yet done with their shopping. They, of course, still had the actual money they had brought with them.

  “You pick, Marie!” Callie told her, as she took the change they had brought out of her kimono. Marie, though not prone to making decisions, was given ample time to make her selection as Callie lost count of the money multiple times. Marie fumbled, seemingly lost without the guidance of her sister’s arm - but nonetheless was able to stare hard at the rack of candy bars before picking the plainest chocolate she could find.

“...It’s the cheapest,” Marie pointed out, seemingly predicting Callie’s complaints of the candy’s austerity, “so we can save the rest for later.” Callie thought on it, and at last, smiled.

  “I guess at least it’s easy to split! Here’s your 20 cash, mister!” She put two coins up on the counter, and in return, Cuttlefish let them walk off with the chocolate. Callie fumbled with the wrapper, and after getting the chocolate open, easily split it in half, giving each of them a portion. And as the two of them headed away, the sight left Captain Cuttlefish sad to see them go.

This sight also reminded him of his troop - back in the fields, where everyone was each other’s eyes and each other’s ears, and everyone supported and protected their fellow soldier. And as he had protected those under him, he too now felt the need to protect these two girls.

  But ah, what could he do? He was nobody but a candy store owner with an assortment of shiny medals. They were not his troops and this was certainly not a war. All he could do was wave them off, as the tinker of the bell by the door signaled their departure. But something about the girls had stuck with him… something that left much more of an impression than any simply generous customer he had dealt with over the years. Perhaps he’d have to take a trip down to the orphanage…

He hoped they would come back someday soon.


End file.
